United Airlines Test LSG Sky Chefs' 'In-flight Cafe' Program

 

Breakfast and Lunch Selections from T.G.I. Friday's? Available for Purchase On Select Flights

IRVING, Texas - LSG Sky Chefs announced today that United Airlines has begun testing the In-flight Cafe program, developed by LSG Sky Chefs, the world's largest provider of quality in-flight catering, on flights that normally do not include meals. The test features menu items developed in conjunction with T.G.I. Friday's? Inc., and is an extension of the airline's previously announced test of onboard food sales.

As part of the test, which began May 4, United Economy customers traveling on non-stop flights from Atlanta to Denver through May 10 have the opportunity to purchase restaurant-quality meals onboard flights where meal service currently is not offered.

The LSG Sky Chefs In-flight Cafe menu offered during the test period features two breakfast selections and two lunch/dinner selections from T.G.I. Friday's including:

Breakfast:
Apple Crumb Cake: Moist apple crumb cake, accompanied by a bowl of fresh cantaloupe, honeydew melon, kiwi slices, pineapple chunks and red seedless grapes, served with creamy lemon yogurt with crunchy granola on the side.
Ham and Swiss Croissant: Tender slices of cured ham and Swiss cheese on a honey-wheat croissant with honey-mustard on the side, accompanied by a fresh bowl of juicy pineapple chunks with strawberry garnish, served with creamy French vanilla yogurt with crunchy granola on the side.

Lunch/Dinner:
Southwestern Cobb Salad: South-of-the-border Cobb salad loaded with roasted chicken, fresh romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, roasted red peppers, black bean and corn salsa, crisp tortilla strips and a savory chipotle dressing on the side.
Roasted Chicken Sandwich: Roasted chicken breast on a ciabatta roll, with fresh lettuce and tomatoes and a zesty tomato-pesto mayonnaise, accompanied by a crisp Caesar salad with crunchy lemon-pepper croutons and dressing on the side.

All meals are served with a bottle of spring water, and lunch/dinner selections are served with a decadent cookies-and-cream dessert bar.

The breakfast meal is offered for $7 and the lunch/dinner selection is offered for $10. The same menu items are served on a complimentary basis in United First and United Business.

"We are pleased to partner with United Airlines as the company works to provide its passengers with convenient options to make their travel experience enjoyable, such as the In-flight Cafe program," said Stephan Egli, global senior vice president of marketing for LSG Sky Chefs. "We believe the In-flight Cafe program reflects the evolution of meal service for airline passengers, and we are committed to culinary excellence and innovation, as demonstrated through this partnership with T.G.I. Friday's."

"Our goal is to bring innovative and quality products to our customers," said Bill Dove, director of worldwide catering for United Airlines. "Our customers have told us they would prefer to purchase a restaurant-quality meal onboard instead of carrying on a meal along with everything else they may have. Our previous tests in other markets have been very successful."

Photographs of the meals are available online at www.united.com/in-flightfoodforsale.

LSG Sky Chefs developed the In-flight Cafe program to offer airline passengers the option to purchase high-quality meals inflight when no other meals are available. LSG Sky Chefs is the world's largest inflight service provider, including catering, procurement, equipment management and Total Inflight Service Management. LSG Sky Chefs caters 260 airlines from more than 200 customer service centers in 45 countries. In 2001, the companies belonging to LSG Sky Chefs Group achieved pro-rated sales of EUR 3.1 billion.

In 2002, United's employees broke 35 company records and achieved the best overall performance in the company's 77-year history. United Airlines finished 2002 ranked No. 1 in the industry in domestic on-time performance, according to the official U.S. Department of Transportation's Air Travel Consumer report. United operates more than 1,500 flights a day on a route network that spans the globe. News releases and other information about United can be found at the company's website at www.united.com.

Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc., the parent company of TGI Friday's Inc., is a privately held company owned by Minneapolis-based Carlson Companies, Inc., a world leader in the hospitality, travel and marketing industries. As of March 31, 2003, Carlson Restaurants operates, franchises and licenses 804 restaurants in 56 countries, including three divisions - Domestic Friday's Brands (T.G.I. Friday's , Friday's Front Row Sports Grill and Friday's American Bar ); International (T.G.I. Friday's, Friday's American Bar and Front Row Sports Grill); and the newest division of Carlson Restaurants, Pick Up Stix . Carlson Restaurants Worldwide is included in the Carlson Hospitality Worldwide division of Carlson Companies, Inc. For more information on the Friday's brands, visit www.Fridays.com.